Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 07/14/2010 9:04 AM | People When a glitterati steps into the world of politics, the common reaction he or she might likely receive can be skeptical; “Yeah, right.”Sometimes, it’s even worse.If there’s any of them who has been in one of the worse situations, it’s actress-cum-lawmaker Rieke Diah Pitaloka, whose role as a rather dim housewife in a television sitcom has made her a subject of mockery at the House of Representatives.“During hearings, they still call me ‘Oneng... Oneng’, which I think is not appropriate for formal forums,” says Rieke of the famous character she played in Bajaj Bajuri. “The way they call me, and even look at me is very downgrading – as if I’m o’on [dumb] just because I’m a celebrity.”Rieke, who sits on the House’s commission IX overseeing welfare, admits she has no problem with people calling her “Oneng”, as the public still also often call her with that name. However, she says, it’s the different way the name is addressed that matters.“Many people still call me ‘Oneng ‘too when they see me, but the way they do it is more like they love [the character],” says the 36-year-old politician of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). On the other hand, “the way those senior politicians from other parties call me is like they’re mocking me. But I told myself not to react; I told myself to prove them wrong —through my work”.It’s indeed difficult to prove her efforts, especially when she’s part of the country’s “celeb-olitics” phenomena, whereby a number of celebrities have stepped out of their glamorous world and into the political arena. While they use their popularity to voice their political views, these glamorous faces are often presumed to be brainless and serve only as “vote magnets” for political parties during elections.“I know people often think that we, celebrities, have joined the House with empty heads,” says the master graduate from University of Indonesia’s School of Philosophy. “I don’t want to comment on other celebrities, but in my case, I didn’t become a House member without a mission.“I’m not the one who went: ‘OK, let’s see what will happen, I can learn first.’ For me, the time I decided to become a House member was the time when I had learned enough and was ready to fight,” she adds.In her fight for laborers — to whom she has chosen to fight for in the House, Rieke, who’s also an activist, admits things have never been smooth. Labor issues, she says, is still far from her Commission’s attention. The deliberation of the domestic worker bill, for example, was again delayed despite the fact it was already listed as one of priorities in the House’s 2010-2015 national legislation programs.“Just earlier this year, the House plenary session ruled out the bill as one of top priorities to be discussed, but just few weeks ago [that decision] was canceled,” reveals Rieke, who’s also the migrant workers ambassador for the International Labor Organization (ILO). “It truly disappoints me and my PDI-P colleagues, as [the party] has been fighting for this bill since 1999,” she adds.Disappointment, indeed, has always been a large part of her struggle at the House, she said, admitting that the thought of quitting politics has crossed her mind.“Being in politics is very hard. It’s very stressful to be involved in never-ending arguments during House sessions — especially when they don’t take a celebrity like me seriously,” says Rieke, who first joined the National Awakening Party (PKB) in 1999 but left in 2008 due to internal conflicts.“During my first month [at the House], I couldn’t sleep at all because of the pressures. I told my husband and my family I wanted to quit,” adds the wife of young philosopher and UI lecturer Donny Gahral Adian.Rieke puts her regained inspiration and courage to a group of abused migrant workers and their families she has met along hr journey in politics. She even keeps their photographs and documents as reminders.“Whenever I feel weak, I look at their pictures for courage,” says Rieke. “Whenever I’m ‘attacked’ during the hearings, I imagine their faces to help speak my mind,” she adds.Rieke’s deep interest in labor issues finds its roots in her father’s experience, who as a lawyer represented a maid who was raped by her employer but was jailed for aborting the child.“When I was a kid, I often accompanied my father to the court, where I witnessed so many injustices,” Rieke says. “I grew up as someone who truly respects human rights and pluralism”.Besides her childhood memories, Rieke also keeps her late mother’s advice as a reminder to keep her on the right track. The advice came years ago when she wanted to quit university because she thought her part-time job as an actress was good enough to support her.“My mother then asked me: ‘What was your goal when you took those acting roles in the first place? Didn’t you want to get money to finance your studies? So why would you want to quit now, when you have all the money you need?’,” recalls Rieke, who started her acting career in junior high school after being spotted by a talent scout in a teen tourism pageant in Garut, West Java. “So, I’ve learned that if you want to step back from what you’re doing, remember your intention; think about why you’re doing, what you’re doing”.So, going back to her first destination in life — which is to contribute to the fight against injustice, Rieke has now committed her life to politics.“I actually enjoy both worlds — entertainment and politics,” says the writer of Kekerasan Negara Menular ke Masyarakat (State Violence Spreads in Society).“But, I have made my decision; I’m 35 — it’s time to realize my dream in politics and leave my entertainment world behind.”http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/14/rieke-diah-pitaloka-the-good-cause-%E2%80%98celebolitics%E2%80%99.html

Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The black butterfly, as soul singer Ledisi Young refers to herself, was once blown in with some faraway dust, having lost her way and waiting for someone, anyone, to find her. "It was in 2004 and I was going through a rough time, sleeping on an apartment floor in New York City at the lowest low point in my career," she says. She was writing and recording songs, but had no idea where the money would come from to pay for it all. "I was not even signed to any major label," says Ledisi, who at that time was an underground artist with two independent albums. "I was broke and not happy for not knowing what to do." Ledisi, born in New Orleans in a year she refuses to disclose, says she came close to giving up music because of her disappointment with the way the business wouldn't allow her to be herself. However, she decided to hang on, telling herself, "OK, I'm going to be myself on this album. I'm not going to change who I am to fit the market." She says believed in her heart that there was a lane for her to be in, and that would be her own lane. "So I thought ‘I have to do it or won't do it at all'. And when I decided to do it, everything started to happen; all the great things started to come." Ledisi's "lane" finally brought her to a subsidiary of Verve Records, which gave her a chance to sing a cover version of Luther Vandross' "My Sensitivity (Gets in the Way)". The song was part of an all-star tribute compilation to the legendary crooner, Forever, For Always, For Luther. Her small part on the album caught people's attention, making them sit up and listen. Composer Rex Rideout, who produced Ledisi's Vandross cover, admitted he was floored by her. "Watching her in the studio is like watching a performance. There's a whole lot of music in this woman," Rideout testifies. "I told Verve, ‘Ledisi will be legendary. It's her time.'" Verve, which had neglected Ledisi until then, reconsidered her talent, although it was another two years until Ledisi brought out her 2007 album Lost and Found, which tells inspiring stories of the ups and downs in her musical journey. Those two years of patience in making the album turned out to have been well spent, when she was nominated for the 2007 Grammy awards for Best R&B Album and Best New Artist. And that was the moment when Ledisi proved to everyone that being true to yourself can make you larger than life. "In the past, I kept telling myself: ‘It's not how fast you win the race, but it's about what you learn along the way. I'm gonna win because I maintain being myself.'" Being thrust into the limelight with her Grammy nominations, Ledisi had people wondering "Where has this wonderful talent been all this time?" Many were surprised to learn that Ledisi already had two albums recorded independently under her own minor label LeSun Records: Soulsinger: The Revival and Feeling Orange But Sometimes Blue, recorded in 2000 and 2002, respectively. She and friend Sundra Manning set up LeSun to produce her own albums not because she was rolling in money, but because Ledisi had decided to stay underground because major labels kept rejecting her demos. After years of frequent performances and building her underground base, Ledisi decided to take a further leap by trying her luck in the Big Apple: Being independent was all very well but "I wanted a wider audience to hear and appreciate my older recordings". Her determination has paid off, as her talent has secured her a place of her own in the music industry. Wherever she goes, she wows audiences with her big, expressive voice that comes with her R&B, jazz and gospel-influenced musical style. Her recent show in Jakarta, part of the Axis Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival, showed the audience the true Ledisi, as she looked so comfortable and engaged with the audience so well that they felt they had known her forever. "It has been the best moment in my life . to get on stage and know that I belong there," she says. "And it doesn't matter how many in the audience that you have - five or 5,000. I get nervous but feel that I belong. I didn't have that a long time ago." Having audiences enjoy her performances was enough for Ledisi, but destiny seemed to have more in store for her: She landed a role in the George Clooney film Leatherheads and sang a song for Tyler Perry's Meet The Browns. "My life now is bigger than what I dreamed," Ledisi says, all smiles. "Now I know it's impossible for me to live without music. "And through my music, I want to ignite people to do their best all their time, telling them not to give up on their dreams, no matter what." We know what she's talking about. Once lost, Ledisi was then found, turning herself into a beautiful black butterfly. In her own words, "Now ... watch this black butterfly soar." http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/03/28/ledisi-lost-found-and-soaring-high.html

Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 01/23/2010 12:47 PM | LifeBetween Los Angeles and London, television presenter Cat Deeley travels with a suitcase full of passion, spreading the spirit of the American dream of success and fame - through thrift and hardwork. Now the real deal behind America's favorite reality show So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD), Deeley greets audiences each week with her charming Birmingham accent, proving that a British girl could actually storm the American TV industry. "I feel a bit lucky," Deeley talked with The Jakarta Post over the phone from London. "I mean they might go, “Okay, you're a crazy English...' But it works for the show, it works for the audience," she laughed. Of course, the show's enthusiasts know it very well - it's not just her accent or innate confidence that distinguishes her from her American TV hosts. It's her genuine people skills, warm and bubbly personality that make her appear irresistible to anyone. She always shows a sincere interest in each of the contestants - defending them from harsh criticism, while at the same time being witty with judges without sounding like a jerk. "I'm a comforter, a cheerleader," said the 33-year-old blondie describing the role she plays in the show. "(I'm) their biggest fan - that's my job," she added. And when it comes to hosting, Deeley has more in her that makes her shine: she enjoyably plays the antithesis of most presenters on American TV, who sometimes appear robotic like those Stepford Wives. "I think I'm maybe a bit ‘more real' than your typical American host," said the ex-model who was born with the full name Catherine Elizabeth Deeley. Deeley is all about being natural when hosting the show. She still sprinkles her sentences with "darlings" and "sweeties", something that characterizes a Brummie - or a native of Birmingham. "What you ideally want is to be smart and intelligent and bubbly and bright," she said. "No one wants someone super-intelligent and boring." Being smart and bright - and attractive too - were traits Deeley inherited a long time ago. When she was young, she knew she had a passion for the entertainment world, but she decided to complete her education first - with flying colors. So, after entering a modeling competition at the age of 14 and doing some modelling work for a while, Deeley went back to school and pushed herself to gain four A-levels in history, English literature, general studies and mathematics. "I did well at school, and really enjoyed it," she said. "Quite often, anything to do with the entertainment business is incredibly unstable. And so I wanted to get an education first." And she until today still holds onto to this belief, as she always advises teenagers who dream of becoming entertainers to finish school first. When we leave school, she said, "we might not end up using Pythagoras' theorem ever again, or have to name all of Henry VIII's wives." "But I know when I go into a meeting, I am taken seriously. People can't just dismiss me because I have no education and that's very important." Her witty personality was later recognized when she decided to take a break from the modelling and tried her luck as a TV presenter. "I saw a casting on MTV and that was how I started," she said of the time she submitted a home-made audition video for MTV UK. "You know, that (hosting) was something I’d always wanted to do when I was a little girl," she added. She had no expectations in this new arena at all, she said. But her passion and dream led her to win the audition and host MTV programs. She later received more offers, including hosting for children TV show SM:TV, in which she partnered with duo musicians Ant and Dec from 1998-2002. That is when she developed her funny and motherly-like personality. Her winning appearance in the show also led her to several local awards and more prestigious offers, like the famous music program CD:UK, Fame Academy and Stars in Their Eyes. She then met Nigel Lythgoe, who later became one of the judges in the SYTYCD. And three years ago, Nigel finally offered her a big break in the US, asking her to replace the original SYTYCD presenter. "After its first season, the host was pregnant so couldn't come back and do the second season," Deeley recalled. "So, Nigel said to me, ‘Look, I've got this show, I think you'd be perfect for it'." So there she went, off the US, after breaking up with her longtime boyfriend Mark Whelan, a PR executive, for the sake of her career. "Why not give (the offer) a go and see what happens; push myself a little," said Deeley, who's now dating actor Jack Huston. "We all do it. My way was getting on a plane and going to America." And she made the right decision. Deeley has stayed in the show for six seasons. Even better, now she's returning home to host the British version of the show this year for BBC, joining the ranks of those trans-Atlantic commuters who fly to London on Thursdays and return to Los Angeles on Sundays. Tired? Definitely. But, she said, "I must not grumble. Dunkirk spirit and all that. I love my job." After all, Deeley went on, the show, which has now been made in many versions in Greece, Australia and Poland, somehow reflects the same spirit she had when pursuing her dreams. "You know, it's amazing for me to find out that they (the contestants) become dancers not to become famous or not for money, but they actually do it because they love it," she said. "And I think that's one thing you have to be passionate about. You know, make the best of it, make it your career." And for her, the show also proves the American dream is absolutely alive and kicking. "That's what I like about the show, it proves you can come from any background, any race, religion, color, creed. It doesn't matter," she said. "As long as you have talent and you're prepared to work and you can be anything you want to be ..." So, Miss Deeley, now that you have achieved your own version of the American dream, tell us: which do you love more - a career in London or in LA? "Owww... that's a difficult one!" she laughed. "I love the lifestyle in LA, and definitely, I love the sunshine and the palm trees..." she paused and continued, "but I think I have to say I love London more... because that's where my home, my family and my friends... You see the Thames river, St. Pauls, the London Eye and so on, and it's ‘Oh, I'm back!' "It's like when you come back from holiday - you know you have had a great time, but you're coming home." Watch the premier episode of So You Think You Can Dance on Jan. 25th 2010 on AXN.http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/01/23/cat-deeley-living-american-dream.html

Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 06/11/2010 8:56 AM | People Who would agree to get paid in BlackBerrys instead of a suitcase full of cash for a recording contract? The Dance Company. Those who haven’t heard about them yet might wonder — with just a BlackBerry for each member, does the band belong to a breed of new talent willing to do anything to release a record? Well, nope. In fact, they are four famous vocalists coming together for the sake of fun, fun and fun. “Seriously, all we got from our record deal is these BlackBerrys,” said Pongki Tri Barata, originally the vocalist of pop band Jikustik and now The Dance Company’s bassist. “We just want to have some fun; we don’t do this for the money. So, to prove it, when the recording company asked us how much we would ask [for the deal], we said we wanted stuff, not money. “We thought they would give us a laptop each, but it was a BlackBerry instead. Well, that’s OK,” he laughed. The other members — singers Ariyo Wahab (the band’s vocalist), Baim (guitarist) and Nugie (drummer) — shared Pongki’s laughter as they recalled that moment last year. “Of course, we still get money, but not from the deal,” Ariyo said, trying to look serious but failing. “Our fee is Rp 50 million [US$5,400] per show — that’s how we make money,” he added.Seriously?“No joking,” Pongki giggled. Well, joking or not, the band is convinced it’s one of a kind in the local music industry. Apart from playing fun rollicking music, they are first and foremost a drama band, in which all of them play their own character — pretty much like the Spice Girls. Each member of The Dance Company is represented by a color that describes his personality, and will dress according to his color. They do not use their stage names, but nicknames instead. Nugie, or Embot, 39, for example, who is famous as a musician with songs about nature and the environment, is represented by the color green. Pongki, or Wega, 33, on the other hand, always dresses in purple, which represents his creative and spiritual character. Ariyo, or Riyo, 36, wears a touch of red, as he’s somewhat outspoken, while Baim, or Bebe, 35, wears orange because of his enthusiastic character. “While offering something fresh to the public, this band also accommodates our different sides,” said Pongki, presenter Sophie Navita’s husband. “When we’re with our own bands or perform alone, we don’t get all this freedom to dress up, sing a certain type of music and express our characters, but in The Dance Company, we’re allowed to be whatever character we want.” “Yes,” Baim, the former lead vocal of the Ada Band said. “The difference between The Dance Company and other bands is that, while the others are doing sound checks, we would be busy dressing up in our respective characters,” laughed the husband of Puteri Indonesia winner Artika Sari Devi. And underneath it all, Pongki went on, “for us, it’s all about having fun and spreading the fun to others”.The band therefore created songs with catchy music and funny lyrics. Their two singles — Coba Kau Bayangkan (Imagine) and Papa Rock ‘n Roll show the real them, with the last song grabbing people’s attention with its famous line: “Papa nggak pulang baby, papa ngga bawa uang baby.” (“Papa isn’t coming home, baby, papa isn’t bringing any money, baby.”)“For this project, we don’t want to play serious music. We’re just papas trying to get some money for our families,” said Ariyo, giggling. “If they want something serious from us, just check us out performing solo or in our [real] bands,” he added. So, we know that all of them are vocalists. Was it hard for them to decide who would be The Dance Company’s lead vocal?“No, we all agreed from the beginning that Ariyo would be the perfect lead,” said Pongki. “Just look at him — he’s the cutest among us. He can really drive girls crazy,” he added, greeted by laughter from the rest of gang. So far, the four guys admitted, they have had a lot of fun — and money, as they put it. “We are thankful we have had so many offers,” Pongki said “We are very busy at the moment — just like our lyric says — ‘papa isn’t coming home, baby’. I hope our wives and children don’t miss us,” he laughed. And, thanks to their uniqueness, the band received several film offers, which they turned down in the end, for good reasons. “All of them were … sorry to say … so corny,” Pongki said. “They wanted us to play in movies with titles like Kutang [Bra], Tali Pocong [The Corpse’s Rope] and so on. We’d rather not.“You know, when the movies came out, we were thankful we hadn’t played in them.”For The Dance Company, not all offers should be accepted — no matter how much money they offer. “We don’t say yes to all offers. We only accept an offer if all of us agree on it,” Nugie said. “If one of us doesn’t agree, then we won’t take it.”Being one voice, however, isn’t the only one of the band’s basic rules. “Our other principle is that first we have to feel happy about everything we do,” Pongki said. “I mean, we’ve all been in bands, so we are well aware there are times when we all get sick and tired of each other. We try to avoid that situation, that’s why we decided for this project, to just have fun.” After all, Pongki enthusiastically continued, “this is our first-ever rebellion … just being whatever we want to be in [the] music [industry]!”http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/06/11/the-dance-company-the-rock-%E2%80%98n-roll-papas.html

Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 08/20/2010 9:03 AM | People If there is one thing actress Peggy Melati Sukma will be remembered for, it will most likely be her trademark squeal “Pusiiiiiiiing” (“I’m dizzy”), which she patented eight years ago.The squeal she made famous when acting in soap opera Gerhana (The Eclipse) will also bring to mind the verbose way she introduced herself in the series: “My name is Peggy Melati Sukma Harum Mewangi Sepanjang Hari” (the all-day-long flowery-scented Peggy).Ten years have passed since she first played the series’ “drama queen”, and although her popularity has not waned, the 34-year-old Cirebon-born model has decided to stay out of the limelight.“My focus changed over the last three years, after my marriage,” says Peggy, who in early 2007 tied the knot with Wisnu Tjandra, now vice president director for Bank Artha Graha Internasional. “I decided to concentrate on social activities, because I thought 15 years in the entertainment industry was more than enough for me.” In the last 15 years, Peggy tried everything from modeling and acting to TV hosting and singing — and received several awards too. She even left her mark on the industry when she became the first celebrity to secure exclusive rights from the Justice and Human Rights Ministry for her distinctive yelp “Pusiiiiiiiing” — a legal move she felt compelled to make after people laid claim to her squeal. So, after experiencing the hustle bustle of the celebrity world, Peggy settled down by getting involved in more socially oriented activities.“There are times in your life when you want to grow, reach a higher level and be more mature,” says the finalist of Aneka Yess! magazine’s cover-girl contest in 1995. “I went through such times, and tried to rediscover who I really was. After much thought, I decided to move on and pursue my desire to be a social activist.”As a social activist, Peggy is now busy working for several foundations and organizations. At the international level, she’s the chairwoman of Arts by Children (ABC) Foundation, a German-based organization focusing on educational and arts projects for children in needs from across the world. Her job, which consists of organizing cultural events in the UK, Indonesia, Bangladesh and African countries, is challenging. Last year in London, her organization held the World Children Congress and a fund-raising concert titled “Voices for a Better World”, which brought together 6,000 children.Meanwhile, at the local level, Peggy has embraced social work in the field, distributing milk, vitamin tablets and mung beans to children living in slum areas in Greater Jakarta — a weekly activity she carries out collaborating with a food company.“I don’t think many people pay enough attention to children’s issues,” she says of the motivation behind her involvement in this field.Peggy is also engaged in campaigns related to cultural heritage. Under Prima Ardian Tana Foundation, where she sits as the program coordinator, fundraiser and spokesperson, Peggy has participated in the restoration of Cirebon palace’s heritage and a campaign on Indonesian traditional masks. This year, the foundation is holding the country’s biggest mask festival, promoting traditional mask art and performances in a three-month-long celebration.“We’ve been looking for inspiring ways to bring the forgotten traditional masks closer to the public,” says the actress, whose real name is Raden Peggy Melati Purnamadewi Sukma. “Holding a festival is one way of doing that, but of course, in a long run, we aim to include this as a subject in school curriculum, so the younger generation can learn about this heritage.”The organization has also kick started an archiving project to document traditional masks from across archipelago, and will publish a book to preserve this legacy, she adds.Social activism isn’t exactly novelty for Peggy. Back in 1998, her and her celebrity friends established Cinta Kita Foundation, which provides informal education classes for children from low-income families. The work she carried out through this foundation led her to become the Research and Technology Ministry’s envoy in 2002 and the National Education Ministry’s ambassador for non-formal education in 2006.“If there’s anything I can do for the country, then I will go for it,” says the 1998 graduate from University of Indonesia’s department of communications.Although Peggy mentions the word “anything”, she makes it clear her commitment to the country doesn’t include political activities.“Politics? No way,” she laughs. “For the last five years, I’ve been receiving offers from political parties and figures [to get involved in politics], but I have said no to all of them. What can I say? I have absolutely no interest in politics.” Peggy wants to be known as someone living her life in three arenas.“My professional life revolves around entertainment, social and business activities,” says Peggy, who’s planning to further her education in intelligence studies. “My priorities might change over one another, but [my professional life] will always be in these three areas.”http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/08/20/peggy-melati-sukma-in-transition.html

Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 01/27/2010 3:37 PM | Life Have you ever heard the old adage "every failure is a blessing in disguise"? Well, new pop sensation Vidi Aldiano is definitely the embodiment of those words of wisdom. After being rejected from as many as six big recording companies, Vidi finally hit the jackpot when he decided to take a different path, releasing his own album - independently. "People who believe I became popular instantly are so wrong," said the 20-year-old singer whose real name is Oxavia Aldiano. "The truth is, it took me around three years to become famous," he added. Vidi doesn't blame people for getting the wrong idea about him. After all, it's true he shot to stardom in a relatively short period of time after releasing his debut single "Nuansa Bening". "Just a few weeks after the song was aired on radio stations, I started to be noticed," said Vidi, who just received an MTV award last year. "It all came all of a sudden - and shocked me," he giggled. Before that, he recalled, he kept on hitting a brick wall when sending his demo tapes. One might think that his father, a renowned event organizer with a wide network in showbiz, would have opened a few doors for him - however that was not the case. "I did help send my son's demo tapes to some producers I know," said Vidi's father Harry Kiss. "But none of them were successful. They told me: *The trend now is bands, not solo artists. If your son was in a band, perhaps we would reconsider our decision.'" Harry, however, believed in his son's talent, and didn't think he should sacrifice that much for the sake of popularity. And Vidi believed it was only a question of time before an opportunity popped up. The opportunity finally materialized last year, when Vidi left music producer Lala Hamid stunned as he sang a number of songs before her. In a firm belief that Vidi could be the next "idol", Lala decided to produce Vidi's singles, which were later released under a small label. And the rest is history - Vidi is suddenly everywhere on stages and TV stations - as we have witnessed now. He has amazed everyone with his super fine and unique voice. Six rejections don't seem to mean anything to him at the end of the day. In fact, he admitted he could only thank all those who pushed him back for putting him in the right spot at the right moment, when there weren't many young male solo artists in the country's music industry. Vidi's biggest rival, perhaps, is Afgan Syahreza, who rose to fame just a few months before him. "I can't say whether (he's my) rival or not," he said. "We're just in different (music) genres," he added, referring to his energetic, more upbeat songs, compared to Afgan's mellow ballads. With his music, Vidi has managed to embrace fans from different age groups - young and old. His second single "Status Palsu" (Fake Status), for instance, has stolen the hearts of many young listeners. Vidi said he never tried to be the best - he loves to perform simply because he has always enjoyed singing since he was a kid. His mother, in fact, is a music teacher, so Vidi was exposed to music at a young age. "Believe it or not, Vidi was familiar with musical notes before he could read the alphabet," Harry said, laughing. "When he was a kid, and we traveled by car, he would never allow us to turn on the radio because he wanted to sing in the car and entertain us," he added. Vidi laughed aloud when he heard this comment. Back then, even until high school, he said, he had never thought about becoming a singer. "Honestly, I never imagined myself being a professional singer," said the engineering student at Pelita Harapan University. "I just love to sing., it's my biggest hobby, but I always thought I wanted to be a doctor because I also love studying science." But later on, Vidi said, many spotted his talent and convinced him he should try his luck in showbiz. "But I took it slowly," he said. "For example, when I came up with ‘Nuansa Bening', which is actually an old song, I carefully studied it, adjusting it to my personality. "I didn't just sing it as it is. I sang it with my own ‘color', pretending I was the first one to sing it," he added. Although he finally made it to the top, Vidi said he still held onto another dream for his future. "I of course want to continue singing," he said. "But hopefully, someday, I can run my own business or something." What kind of business? "Well, I can't say for now," he smiled. "Let's just see!"http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/01/27/vidi-aldiano-looking-bright-side.html

Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 10/17/2009 1:10 PM | Life Just one four-letter word will remind us of Bjorn Ulvaeus, and that word is ABBA. After hanging up his stage suits more than two decades ago, the genius behind ABBA's timeless hits has kept out of the limelight, staying busy backstage of several musicals and becoming an activist for a Swedish organization. Which all shows that life is not only about money, money, money for Bjorn. Turning down a billion-dollar offer in 2000 to re-form, Bjorn and his best friend Benny Andersson - the other "B" in ABBA - insist the group will never get back together again, not even for one last tour. "Definitely not," Bjorn says of that possibility. He pauses and adds, "I think we have no musical motivation anymore. Money is not the factor." And for Bjorn, it would be funny for people to see two old men and two old women singing and dancing on stage. "I simply want people to remember us as who we were - young, ambitious and energetic," the 64-year-old says. Young and energetic would be what people remember most of the Swedish fabulous four, who shot to international stardom after winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest. The four - Bjorn and ex-wife Agnetha Faltskog, and Benny and ex-wife Anny-Frid Lyngstad - topped the charts worldwide from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. Before forming ABBA, Bjorn was a member of the popular folk band The Hootenanny Singers. While touring with the band in the 1960s, he met and became friends with Benny, who was then a member of The Hep Stars. The duo began writing and performing with Anni-Frid and Agnetha in the early 1970s and shortened their names to their first initials - ABBA. Bjorn married Agnetha in 1971; they divorced nine years later after having two children, Peter and Linda, the only of Bjorn's children to following his musical calling. In 1981, Bjorn remarried, to music journalist Lenna Kallersjo, with whom he has two daughters Emma and Anna. Benny and Anni-Frid married in 1978, only to split up in 1981. It's more than 25 years now since the group broke up in 1982, but their catchy and simple songs such as "Mamma Mia!", "Dancing Queen", "I Have A Dream" and "Money Money Money" remain part of pop culture, with even teens humming their tunes. "We're all still best friends now," he says of his relationship with the rest of group's members. "Well, we don't get together much, but we still visit each other like during our grandchildren's birthdays and Christmas." Benny remains Bjorn's closest friend, with the two working on several musicals such as Kristina fran Duvemala and Mamma Mia!, which made billions of dollars across the world. "We're currently working to revive Chess," says Bjorn of his 1986 musical. "(For that musical) I composed the song ‘One Night in Bangkok' - that's in Bangkok, not Jakarta, OK?" he jokes. Bjorn finds being involved in musicals very rewarding. "Every time I sit in the audience and watch a show that I have been involved with, it is such an amazing feeling to see all those people around me, knowing they are actually watching and enjoying something I have written," says the Gothenburg-born musician. "That is such a feeling of pure joy that never goes away and that's why I guess I'm so attracted to work in the theater." Given the success of his musicals, it's hard to believe that Bjorn once turned down the offer of reworking their songs for Mamma Mia! But, he says, at the time, they didn't see how their songs would make a good musical. But when writer Catherine Johnson came up with a brilliant story - and script - Bjorn and Benny couldn't refuse. With Bjorn and Benny as composers, Mamma Mia! opened in London's West End in 1999, going on to enjoy international success. In 2008, a movie with the same title was released, starring Meryl Streep, Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan. One thing Bjorn says he never expected are the tributes from other musicians and people generally, saying he is flattered by groups such as Bjorn Again and A*Teens that have revived ABBA's music and spirit. Not to mention that stars such as Madonna and The Fugees also sampled their songs. "I have no idea how and why that happened," Bjorn humbly says. To his greater surprise, a museum in Stockholm dedicated to ABBA will open soon. Until then, fans all over the world can satisfy their longing for their idol by watching Bjorn on CNN International's My City, My Life, which can be viewed at www.cnn.com/mycitymylife. In My City, My Life, Bjorn takes viewers on a journey around Stockholm - the city he knows best - and shares his deepest feelings about it. "Stockholm is unique in the world that it's built on, I think, 14 islands," Bjorn says. "There's no other city like that." As someone who grew up in a small town like Gothenburg, Bjorn felt nothing but amazement when he first set foot in the Swedish capital. "There are days when I walk through the center of Stockholm when I get this sudden feeling of happiness - a sense of belonging and at the same time gratitude that I'm so privileged that I can live my life in my city." Also in Stockholm, Bjorn has had the chance to develop his interest in politics. An active member of the Swedish Humanist Association, he speaks out against the danger of religion reentering European politics. "My concern is to keep religion and the state separated. I don't think that religion and politics go together," Bjorn says. "When you see political decisions colored by religion, decisions that affect us all ... I thought: ‘I do not want to go back to medieval times'." As he speaks in detail about his campaign to separate politics and religion in Sweden, it's hard to believe that British newspaper The Daily Mail reported last year that Bjorn was suffering from memory loss and couldn't remember most of the important events in his life. The news had fans praying for his recovery. But Bjorn answers The Jakarta Post's question during the phone interview about that with a laugh. "No, that was totally not true!" he chuckles. "That was a matter of misunderstanding (my interview excerpts). There was no memory loss. Please tell this to all my fans. I'm all right." Well, that's one piece of good news. Because if he's all right, we might get another masterpiece.http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/10/17/bjorn-ulvaeus-life-after-abba.html

Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 08/10/2010 10:01 AM | People Indonesian Idol winner Elicohen Christellgo Pentury wasn’t really the judges’ favorites at the beginning, but over the time, he evolved into what the judges called a “star”.In the eyes of the judges, Igo, as he’s popularly known, was the only one of the 14 contestants who showed significant progress from the beginning until the end of the competition. His efforts improve, at the end, led him to being crowned the “Next Superstar” title during the Indonesian Idol finale, defeating fellow contestant Skolastika Citra Kirana from Yogyakarta. “At this point, it is perhaps difficult to maintain my quality, but I will continue to learn,” said the 17-year-old boy after the result was announced Saturday night. “I have to keep on focusing and being confident in launching [my career in] the entertainment world. I have to do this on my own way, maintaining my own character,” he added. Compared to the sweet, jazzy Citra, Igo is more into pop-rock. Composer Erwin Gutawa, an Idol judge, favored Igo for having the whole package to become a superstar. Judge Agnes Monica, on the other hand, sees Igo as a real example of a “zero to hero” story.“People noticed you kept making improvements,” Agnes said to Igo. “You truly listened to input from everyone and learnt from them,” she added.Meanwhile, judge Anang Hermansyah praised Igo for his humble attitude.“People like you, who have shot into stardom, could turn out to be arrogant. But you prove it can happen the other way around — you become humbler and more mature every day,” Anang told Igo. Born in Ambon on Feb. 19, 1993, Igo has been singing since he was a kid and has won countless singing competitions ever since. The eldest son of four, whose middle name “Christellgo” is a twist from a religious line “go tell Christ”, also loves to play guitar and Maluku’s traditional instruments tifa and tobobuang. Igo said he knew he had a talent for singing, so he motivated himself to perform in public such as at celebratory events including New Year’s festivities. Singing, for Igo, also serves as a way for him to deal with personal issues. “Whenever I fought with my [former] girlfriend, for example, I would call her just to sing and play guitar,” Igo said recently. “I made my own songs for her, to settle our problems through this romantic way.”Igo’s success in gaining a golden ticket to Idol in Jakarta some five months ago granted him support from his hometown. When he finally made the top-two, the support became larger — with not only the Ambon government promoting him, but also Ambonese celebrities and public figures campaigning for him. Some Ambonese finalists from Idol’s former competitor Akademi Fantasi Indosiar (AFI) even took part in the team.“This is just the time for Ambon people to mark their history in Indonesian Idol,” said AFI’s finalist Ade Pattihahuan, as quoted by the official Ambon Government website www.ambon.go.id. “Igo deserves the best in this competition.”Support also came from first season’s Idol’s finalist Karen Pooroe, who helped mobilized Maluku locals to vote for Igo.“All Ambonese and Maluku people have to support Igo to be the number one 2010 Indonesian Idol,” she said.Ambon regent M.J. Papilaja even called his staff members to chip in to buy telecommunication vouchers so more votes for Igo could be sent through text messages. This support has paid off, with Igo winning the much-awaited Indonesian Idol, which was postponed last year on the grounds of needing “improvement”. Now a freshman at Trisakti University’s School of Law in Jakarta, Igo is ready to kick off his entertainment career and compete with other male solo singers in the country. Taking with him the number Kemenangan Cinta (The Winning of Love), a song composed by Anang for the Idol’s winner, Igo promised his commitment to the local music industry.“I’ve been through a lot. Now I must be ready for the music industry,” said Igo. “Everything I’ve received so far — input and criticism — have served as great assets to continue my journey,” he added.http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/08/10/elicohen-christellgo-pentury-a-new-superstar.html

Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 06/21/2010 9:09 AM | PeopleSometimes failure is a blessing in disguise. Nungki Kusumastuti realized this when failing a university test led her to her eventual destiny: dancing. “I’d always wanted to study law at the University of Padjajaran [in Bandung], but I failed the admission test,” said the senior dancer and actress, whose real name is Siti Nurchaerani Kusumastuti. “After thinking about it for a while, I realized I had to pursue something else in life, and all I could think of was dancing,” she smiled.It was in 1977, and the young Nungki told her parents she wanted to study dance choreography at the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ). Just like any other parents, who dream big for their children, Nungki’s father, a doctor, doubted her decision.“My father said: ‘Is this for real? You know that dancing is not a respected profession here, don’t you?’” the 52-year-old petite woman recalled. “And I said: ‘Yes, I know. But I want to become more than just a professional dancer — I want to be a dance expert and an arts advocate’.”Lucky for Nungki, her persistence convinced both her mother and father. Dancing, after all, had been part of her life, as she had learned various kinds of dances since she was 5 years old. So, taking the leap to become a professional dancer wasn’t really a big surprise for her parents. “I said, let me try first, and they said OK,” said Nungki, one of the founders of the Indonesian Dance Festival. “I was right: It turned out I fell head over heels for dancing.”She hasn’t stopped dancing since — not even when many movie directors fell in love with her beauty and talent, and lined up to get her acting in their films. “It was very difficult at that time — I had to choose between dancing and acting,” said Nungki, who first played in late legendary director Teguh Karya’s November 1828 in 1978 and then in 16 other movies. “I had never wanted to become an actress. But when Teguh Karya saw me at campus one day, he insisted I play in his movie. I tried it and liked it. Then Slamet Rahardjo offered me another role, followed by other directors.”Unfortunately, Nungki said, she was also busy performing overseas at the same time. “I finally realized I couldn’t do both. So I decided: Dancing is my life and I must leave acting,” said Nungki, who obtained her diploma in choreography in 1981. Returning to her world, Nungki continued studying at the University of Indonesia, enrolling in dance anthropology, the institution’s new program at that time. She also took a master’s degree in anthropology — to make her dream of becoming a dance expert and arts advocate come true. How exactly did she plan to be an arts advocate? By spreading the love of performing arts among the public — young and the old. “I kept asking myself: Why do performing arts such as dance keep failing to attract audiences in Indonesia?” said Nungki, a lecturer at IKJ since 1987. “I mean, when I was a kid, almost everybody danced. I often saw my mother and her friends dancing the traditional Serampang Dua Belas at many informal gatherings.”Nungki realized the government played a large role in promoting the arts. Back at the time, in the early 1960s, she said, “[Former president] Sukarno encouraged people to dance. No wonder children at that time were familiar with so many traditional dances and were interested [in those performing arts].”But following a regime change, after 1966, such a practice gradually disappeared, making traditional dance lose its popularity. “Art subjects are no longer compulsory at school,” said Nungki, who finally made her comeback to the acting world in 1990. “They have become extra-curricular activities — and most of the time, the students don’t really learn anything in those classes.” Of course, Nungki went on, it wasn’t just the government’s fault.“OK, maybe we, the artists, were responsible for this too,” she said. “I admit it — that was why my friends and I decided we should help bring dancing back into the limelight,” she added. So she took the performing arts to thousands of high schools across the country, to nurture the love of dancing among teenagers. “We want teens to realize that arts can be fun — they can bring both happiness and peace,” said Nungki, who launched her project in 1998 with the help of the Ford Foundation. “At first it was hard, as many schools rejected our proposal. Some parents also didn’t agree with the idea of their children joining us; they thought it was better for their children to focus on mathematics and English.”But Nungki and her friends didn’t give up. They brought artists like Indramayu mask dancer Rasinah, musician Djaduk Ferianto and actor Butet Kartaredjasa, to lure schools into accepting their project. “When I brought these artists to schools, many teachers and students were surprised. After some friendly talks, many realized that being an artist was just as hard as being a doctor,” said the mother of one. Today, she went on, “We have finally brought the arts into schools as well as enabled students to visit arts centers, and even perform in malls and public spaces.“We were so amazed to discover how talented today’s youth actually is. They’re truly fast learners. They did lack artistic skills, but that was because no one had taught them,” she added. While she’s working on spreading interest in performing arts among the younger generation, Nungki is also still busy working on another project — the Indonesian Dance Festival (IDF), which she started with her friends 18 years ago. The event, also dubbed the Jakarta’s International Performing Arts Festival, poses challenges, however, as she still finds it difficult to gain enough support from both the government and private parties. “It’s hard because people still don’t appreciate the arts,” said Nungki, who was the IDF chairwoman from 2004 to 2008. “We’re always cast aside whenever we ask for financial support.”“But we will never give up. We believe we have to fight for this. The IDF has been the longest arts festival ever in Indonesia. So, we can’t and don’t want to stop.”http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/06/21/nungki-kusumastuti-destined-dance.html

Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 05/19/2010 9:38 AM | PeopleWhen a fortuneteller passes away, the question burning on everyone’s mind is: “Had they ever predicted of their own death?”. In the case of famous psychic Laurentia Pasaribu — popularly known as Mama Lauren, who died at on Monday night, May 17, 2010, the answer remains a mystery. “Mama had always said: ‘Would I still be alive by the end of the year?’” said Beby Djenar, Lauren’s student and foster daughter. But during the last hours of her life, Beby went on, “She whispered to me, saying, ‘I’m done.’“The last time I had eye contact with her, fresh tears were welling up,” she added. Born in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, on Jan. 23, 1932, Lauren died at 78, at the PGI Cikini Hospital in Central Jakarta, after fighting heart and lung problems. The fortune teller started to show signs of ailing health last year. So early this year, Lauren decided to take a rest and stopped seeing clients. “She had stopped practicing in early January [2010] after the doctor told her to take a break,” Beby said. “She entrusted me to handle her clients ever since,” she added.Lauren became renowned as a personal advisor for celebrities and high-ranking officials. She was known for her “visions” of the country’s future – and most of all – celebrity lives. Every December or January, tabloids would publish her predictions over certain local issues, like politics and natural disasters. Her most-awaited predictions, however, were those surrounding the life of celebrities and famous people – she often predicted who would die that year, who would divorce from whom, and who would stay in prison. Early 2004, for example, she predicted a young, rising actress would die at the end of the year because of an accident. That September, 24-year-old actress Sukma Ayu died after a comma from an accident in a night club. Not only that, Lauren also advised singer Krisdayanti to reveal her alleged affair with musician Tohpati, or she would risk her marriage with musician Anang Hermansyah. Two years after that prediction, Krisdayanti ended up divorcing Anang.Lauren realized she had psychic abilities in 1939, when she was only seven years old and lived in the Netherlands. The woman with gypsy-blood running in her veins told Femina magazine about the day she heard voices while studying in her classroom, asking her to leave the school immediately. She told her school teachers about it, and was expelled from the class, after they accused her of telling lies. Young Lauren cried to her foster grandmother Antoineta as she came home, but was shocked later as she heard the news: “My school had just been bombed,” and hundreds of her friends and teachers had died in the tragedy, which was part of the Second World War events. From that moment on, Lauren confessed, her friends started calling her a “witch”, and considered her as someone who brought curses everywhere she went. “I realized that I was different [from others], especially as I ‘heard’ and ‘saw’ more and more events,” she said as quoted by the magazine. One of the events, she said, was the death of her Indonesian husband Natakusuma. Lauren said she knew her husband would pass away one year before he really died, in 1973. After her husband’s death, Lauren met Hendrik Pasaribu, whom she described as her soul mate. When she first met Hendrik, Lauren said, she knew they were destined together although he was 15 years younger and already married to another woman. But years passed and they met again when Hendrik was a single man again. They tied the knot and stayed together for the next 28 years later, until the day Lauren passed away. “My heart is broken,” said Hendrik, who had two children with Lauren. “She had always made my life beautiful and I could never forget her love for our family.”http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/05/19/indonesia%E2%80%99s-favorite-psychic-dies-78.html